CIA together as communityTo the Editor:
A few weeks ago, Catholics in Action was held in Fort Madison, where a large group of high school students and adults came from around the diocese to put their faith into action. These various actions were met with joy and enthusiasm, even in near-100-degree weather. I’m reminded of the Gospel reading of Martha and Mary. Martha was about serving the Lord, while Mary was about building a relationship with the Lord. This was evident of Catholics in Action this year. Several “tasks” were done and lots of “relationships” were built. I was fortunate to be able to work with different groups of people to create an experience for our youths that will hopefully become part of their moral fiber.
The first group was high school students from the Fort Madison area that created the vision for CIA to be in their community. These seven students wrote a detailed plan of what they saw as places of need. That energy was the spark to bring their parents, families and community on board to be part of something big for their faith communities.
The next group was coordinators of youth ministers from the diocese. Each of these great people rose to the challenge to create an environment of prayer and catechesis for our students and adults. If we don’t know why the Catholic Church calls us to service, our faith will flounder. It was great to start each day with Mass. This was the kick-start for going forth.
The last group was the group that stepped out in faith to attend CIA. These people had never been to the Fort Madison-area before, yet jumped right in. I witnessed our youth’s exhaustion from the work they had done, yet at the same time they sported smiles of satisfaction in a job well done and people well served.Mike Linnenbrink, CYM St. Boniface Parish, Farmington

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